Review: FIRE TONIGHT Is an Extremely Short Yet Pleasant Experience
Fire Tonight is a new narrative puzzle experience created by developer Reptoid Games and publisher Way Down Deep. In the game, you play as a couple named Maya and Devin on a night where the power is out and the whole city is on fire. The game is available starting August 12 on Nintendo Switch, PC, and Mac for $5.99 with a 20% discount during launch week. Reptoid Games was kind enough to provide me with a copy of the game on the Nintendo Switch to review.
Set in 1990, Fire Tonight pits love against the odds as Maya journeys across town to reunite with her partner, Devin. Switch between their perspectives, solving light environmental puzzles as Maya to avoid flames and police blockades on her journey to Devin’s apartment. While Devin awaits Maya’s arrival, explore mementos from their relationship like mixtapes to learn more about the couple and what’s driving them to be together in this trying time.
Fire Tonight is set in 1990, and I love the overall aesthetic of this game. The art direction is fantastic, and the music is pretty spot-on. They could turn this into a web series and I’d very much enjoy it. The gameplay is fun and the controls make sense. None of the puzzles were very difficult, but they are engaging. It’s also nice that Maya and Devin have different types of gameplay as Maya is on an overworld while Devin is more of a point-and-click adventure. The story told is one that I think a lot of people can relate to even if we don’t live in a burning city. Maya and Devin are well-written and do react like average people (although Maya would probably be more scared of getting burned by the fire).
The crazy thing about Fire Tonight is that it is really short. I think it took me about 30-45 minutes to play through. That being said, it is a complete story that had me feeling satisfied in the end. The low price is definitely a point in its favor. It’s at a point where it can definitely be worth it to help support a small indie developer. However, it’s high enough that for 30 minutes, it can feel a bit much. If you’re interested in a very short gaming experience with some light puzzles and a fun ‘90s aesthetic, Fire Tonight is a great choice.
